We know that far too many Americans struggle to follow a healthy diet and eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. As a result, poor nutrition is a leading cause of illness in the U.S., and cardiometabolic diseases continue to cost our communities almost $50 billion in annual health care costs.
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Many people have to choose between eating healthy and eating enough, which is often attributable to lack of convenient grocery access, sufficient budget for healthy foods, and education on the impact of food choices on our health.
To work toward nutrition security for all Americans, The Food Trust calls for the following policy areas to be prioritized at the federal, state and local level. These will not only improve dietary health for individuals, but also create important revenue opportunities for farmers and other small businesses.
Sprankle’s Neighborhood Market, Saxonburg, PA
When Saxonburg, a small town in Butler County, PA, lost its only grocery store in 2018, residents were left with few fresh food options. Doug Sprankle of Sprankle’s Neighborhood Market wanted to fill this grocery gap. With support from the Pennsylvania Fresh Food Financing Initiative, the Sprankle family purchased the vacant building and reopened the store in 2020. Now, citizens of Saxonburg no longer have to drive 8 miles to purchase healthy, affordable food at a grocery store. Instead, 5,500 local shoppers choose Sprankle’s per week and 60 local residents are employed at the business.
Heart Smarts & Health Screenings at Junior Supermarket
Junior Supermarket is one of many locations where The Food Trust offers Heart Smarts, a 9-week nutrition education series covering topics relevant to the corner store environment: choosing more nutritious options, reducing sodium and sugar, and stretching food dollars. Junior Supermarket also hosts free health screenings provided by the Camden County Department of Health and participates in the Food Bucks nutrition incentive program.
Food Bucks
Funded through GusNIP, the Food Bucks program makes fresh fruits and vegetables more affordable for families using SNAP while also increasing revenue for farmers and fresh food retailers. Last year, Pennsylvania and New Jersey families took home half a million dollars in additional fresh produce, leading to improved dietary health. In the words of one farmers market shopper: “The reason I have enough money for quality food is because of EBT and Food Bucks. Because of this program I can shop at the farmers market and support the vendors, try new foods and always have enough to eat.”